The present invention relates to a structural component for a vehicle, which is made of a polymer composite, and more particularly, to a structural component for a vehicle, into which a three-dimensional preform made of a fiber reinforced composite is inserted for reinforcement. In particular, the present invention relates to a bushing used to manufacture a preform.
One of hot issues in vehicle industries is weight lightening. Due to a fuel efficiency regulation exceptionally tightened in U.S.A, Europe, and the like, the weight lightening is a problem that needs to be essentially solved.
Recently, the weight lightening has been mainly realized through an application of ultra high strength steel (UHSS) or an application of high strengthening of steel, such as a hot press forming process. However, in order to improve revolutionary weight lightening in the future, a change in material is inevitable.
Representative examples of lightweight materials capable of replacing steel include nonferrous metals such as magnesium and polymer composite materials such as engineering plastic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).
Among the lightweight materials, a resin material, i.e., an interested object of the present invention has been actively applied to, especially, a bumper beam as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,286,879, 6,817,638, 8,376,426.
A bumper beam, in which a reinforcement material is inserted into a body of a glass mat reinforced thermoplastic (GMT) in a length direction thereof, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,426. For example, long fiber reinforced plastic having excellent mechanical strength may be used as a reinforcement material.
The bumper beam is manufactured by inserting a pre-manufactured reinforcement material, i.e., a three-dimensional preform into a mold, and then, press-molding the three-dimensional preform with GMT.